Recipe: Three Mushroom Risotto (*)

In addition to the ubiquitous pasta, my next favourite easy dish is mushroom risotto. I always have in my pantry wholewheat pasta, brown and wild rice, risotto, vermouth, and olive oil (not to mention peanut butter, chilli oil, Japanese benito flakes, oatmeal, and an extravagant range of tea and coffee). Being a lazy Saturday afternoon today, and alone at home, and having picked up mushrooms at my local Waitrose the other day, I decided that it was the perfect occasion.

(P.S. Wonder what the mushroom range in Houston grocery stores is like? Am looking forward very much to adapting my recipes in America.)

RECIPE: THREE MUSHROOM RISOTTO
(Easy factor = *)

3 varieties of mushrooms (I used enoki, shitake and button mushrooms today)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
1 serving risotto arborio (about 2 handfuls)
Few splashes of vermouth or any dry white wine
400ml chicken stock
2 large dabs butter
2 tbsp parmesan, shaved
Lots and lots of pepper

*****
1. Dry fry mushrooms in a non-stick frying pan until they are sweating slightly (approx. 10 mins).

2. While that is going on, heat olive oil in a small poit and fry onions and garlic till translucent. Add risotto rice and stir, coating the rice grains with oil. Add a few splashes of vermouth and stir until almost all the alcohol has evaporated.

3. Add chicken stock in stages, stirring until almost all the stock has been absorbed by the rice at each stage. Be sure to stir continuously. Before adding the last bit of stock, season with pepper and salt to taste. I am usually very conservative with my salt here because the stock and parmesan is already salty. I sometimes throw in a pinch of marjoram or oregano or Italian herbs or fresh chopped parsley at this point - it adds colour! Taste the rice - it should be oozing and soft, but retaining a bite. Otherwise, add a bit of boiling water and continue stirring. Go easy on the stock and water, as you don't want your risotto to be watery! Total stirring time approx. 20 mins.

Note: A friend of mine used to substitute 1/3 stock with apple juice, which I think is a stroke of brilliance!

4. Stir in the mushrooms. Turn heat off. Throw in two dabs of butter and parmesan and stir. Leave for a few minutes.

Serve with a green salad and a few drops of truffle oil if feeling extravagant!